Banister or railing.



' PATENTED JULY 12, 1904 W. LONDON.

BANISTER OR RAILING.

APPLIOATION FILED OUT 12. 1903. I

N0 MODEL.

Patented July 12, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE,

WILLIS LONDON, OF FRANKLIN, KENTUCKY.

BANISTER OR RAILING- SPECIFICATION forming. part of Letters Patent No. 764,953, dated July 12, 1904.

Application filed October 12, 1903.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that L'WILLIs LONDON, a citizen of the United States, 'and a resident of Franklin, in the county of Simpson and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Banisters or Railings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in banisters or railings, as they are commonly termed, for porches, verandas, steamerdecks, pulpits, stands, lecture-rostrums, and other like places Where banisters or railings are required.

The object is to provide a banister-panel ready for use which can be easily and quickly manufactured and applied in place and which can be made neat and ornamental in appearance, as well as in a variety of forms, thus making it attractive to the eye as well as substantial in structure and effectual in the performance of its functions.

With these objects in view my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the panel in side elevation, it being broken out through the center. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing it applied, and Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section. I

A A represent the horizontal rails of the banister, which may be made of tubing or of any desired material and in any preferred shape. These rails have holes 1 1 formed therein to receive the vertical rods 2 2, the ends of which may be loosely inserted into the holes of the railsor screw-threaded, if desired, with a right thread at one end and aleft at the other, whereby to screw them in place, drawing the rails toward each other.

B B represent fastening-bars, which may be of wood or metal. These fastening-bars have holes 4: 4 therein to loosely receive the ends of the rails and by means of which they are mounted on the rail ends. .These bars are provided with holes, if of metal, or may have holes made therein, if of wood, to receive screws or bolts whereby to fasten them to the posts of the banister. These fastening-bars Serial No. 176,700. (No model.)

are temporarily held in place by a wire or similar means 5, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

By this method the parts are kept together during shipment, and when it is desired to set the panel up in the construction of the banisters these wires or fastenings are simply cut or untwisted and thrown away, after which the fastening-bars are slid outward-to the end of the panel and fastened to the post. The fastening-bars may also perform the function of holdingthe parts together, providing the rods are not fastened in the rails. This would be a very simple construction, especially in assembling the parts of the panel.

It is obvious that the panels may be made of different lengths and various sizes of material, according to requirements and specifications. This could be provided for at the factory in the manufacture of the banisters. Of course the designing and ornamentation and likewise the selection of the material,

painting, and the like are all a matter of taste and subject to'indefinite variations.

One more point in conclusion is called to attention. By reference to the drawings it will be seen that all ends of the rods and rails are completely concealed and protected, thus producing a railing entirely free of jags and projections, which would be liable to scratch the hands and tear the clothing. 7

It is evident that slight changes might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction herein set forth; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A banister or railing comprising hori-' zontal rails having holes or sockets formed therein and vertical rods having their ends loosely held in said holes or sockets, and fastening-bars having holes therein in which the ends of the rails are loosely held, said fastening-bars constructed and adapted as a means for attaching the banister or railing.

2. A banister or railing comprising rails having holes therein, vertical rods, the ends of which are held in the holes, fastening-bars having holes to receive the ends of the rails, said fastening-bars slidably connected with the rails, said fastening-bars constructed and adapted for attachment to the posts between which the banisters or railing are secured and means for securing the fastening-bars temporarily and detachably to the end rods.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

- WILLIS LONDON. Witnesses:

J. D. ROBINSON, M. S. HARRIS. 

